Going back to some posts from last week, I saw this in an email today from Sparkspeople:

They are small words. They can be easy to miss. They slip off your tongue as you order your food, without even knowing what you are saying. Yet they mean the difference between a healthy or unhealthy meal. What are these unassuming potential land mines? "Menu Watch Words"--and it pays to keep your eye on them.

Not all "Menu Watch Words" are bad. When you go out to eat, just go prepared. Know which words to look for and which to avoid. Below is a quick hit list of "Safe" Green Flag and "Warning!" Red Flag food options that even young children can understand. Challenge your kids to see how many "red flag" and "green flag" foods they can find, and let them choose their meals out of the green flag options.

The watch words below are a guide. Still, food items can be very healthy or unhealthy regardless of the use of any of these words. There are times when these words are used to mislead you (which is why we call them "watch words" and not "guarantees"). So use this along with your good judgment to steer clear of the bad stuff. More often than not, you'll end up making a smart decision.

GREEN FLAG - Usually Good for You
Steamed
Reduced
Baked
Marinated
Seasoned
Fat Free
Whole Wheat
Multi-grain
Vegetarian
Light
High Fiber
Fresh
Red sauce
Vinaigrette

RED FLAG - Usually Bad for You
Breaded
Fried/Deep Fried
Creamed/Creamy
Béarnaise or hollandaise
White Sauce
Crispy
Cheesy
Buttery
Loaded
Bottomless
"Bet you can't finish it..."
Au gratin
Country-style
Volcano